Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging is employed in a number of end-use applications so as to provide images of internal structures that may be employed for a variety of diagnostic and/or investigative purposes. For example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is employed in the medical field as a means to assist physicians in diagnosing diseases and other ailments. Conventional MRI, in a clinical setting, generates a signal from fluids, mostly water, in the tissues.
MRI would be a highly desirable technique for industrial applications which require nondestructive structural testing and/or analysis. Presently, however, there are no known techniques which would permit objects of interest to be imaged using MRI in such a manner that would enable three-dimensional images to be constructed of external and/or internal morphologies. It is toward providing such techniques that the present invention is directed.
Broadly, the present invention relates to methods and systems whereby three-dimensional images of object morphology may be obtained using nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. More specifically, the present invention contemplates immersing an object in a volume of imaging fluid, and then conducting magnetic resonance imaging or microscopy of the fluid. Three-dimensional image sequences are obtained that represent an outline of the image fluid which conforms to the morphology of the object. These three-dimensional image sequences are then processed to produce a digital array of the object.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clear after careful consideration is given to the following detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof.